1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for establishing a communication link between client electronic devices and a hotspot access point, and, more specifically, to methods and systems for transferring of hotspot session.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless access points have replaced wired routers to provide access to communication network (e.g. the Internet). These wireless access points have wired backbone to connect with the communication network. These wireless access points include Wi-Fi feature that enables wireless client devices such as smart phone, laptop, tablet, and notebook to connect with the wireless access point and access the communication network. Further improvements enabled the wireless access point to connect with the communication network via a cellular dongle connected with USB ports present in the wireless access point instead of wired backbone. Further improvement enabled the wireless client devices to act as access point (hotspot) and as client devices depending upon selected configuration. Consequently, the use of such wireless client devices have significantly increased as same devices can be used as client as well as hotspot based on requirement.
Presently, with advent of technology, various client devices can intercommunicate with each other over a network. One of the client devices can be converted as an access point to create the network. The access point then provides access to the network to other client devices when the client devices connect with the access point. The client devices can connect with the access point via various communication links such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB. Currently the connected client devices switch access points dynamically and connect to other access points based on various parameters such as distance from the access point and signal strength of the access point. However, when the access point goes out of the network due to various criteria such as shutting down, powering off, loss of signal strength, and unavailability of network, the connected client devices disconnect from each other and from the access point. To connect again, the client devices searches for same network credentials and in absence of the previous access point, the client device are unable to connect. In some events, the client devices may connect with alternate access point that is preconfigured. However, the alternate access point may not be available at the time of disconnection of the client devices from the previous access point.
Various solutions are available which enable the client devices to connect with other access points overcoming the above deficiency. In one solution, a mobile station selects an access point from amongst a plurality of access points based on state information of the access points. The selected access point then establishes a physical channel between the mobile station and a wireless local area network (WLAN) to provide maximum performance of data transmission such as high-speed wireless internet services. Accordingly, each of the access points inserts first state information of the access point about the number of connected mobile stations into a Beacon frame/Probe Response message frame of WLAN media access control (MAC) layer. Each of plurality of the access points then transmits the Beacon frame/Probe Response message frame of the first state information to the mobile station. Thereupon, each of the access points inserts second state information about a currently processed traffic amount into the Beacon frame/Probe Response message frame and transmits the Beacon frame/Probe Response message to the mobile station. Upon receiving the first and second state information, the mobile station selects one of access points based on the first and second state information.
Thus, the solution enables effective selection of the access point by the mobile station based on comparison state information received from the access points in order to have the maximum performance of data transmission during initial association step and re-association step. The state information may include not only the receiving sensitivity of the access points but also the number of mobile stations connected to the access point and the traffic amount of the access point. However, the solution only enables selection among active access points by the mobile station and does not handle the situation when the connected access point goes out of the network due to various criteria.
In another solution, backbone access points (“Backbone APs”) and wireless access points (“Wireless APs”) provide a dynamically reconfigurable dynamic wireless network to mobile stations with local area network (“LAN”). Backbone APs physically connect to the LAN. Levels of Wireless APs are daisy-chained together and connect to the Backbone AP, providing an extended area of network coverage. Mobile stations can connect with either Backbone APs or Wireless APs. Dynamic Reconfiguration prevents single point failures. Each AP contains a router, Address Resolution Protocol (“ARP”) cache, and Distributed Routing Table (“DR Table”). The DR Table maintains the Media Access Control (“MAC”) address and the Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of each AP below it in the Distributed Routing Tree. Additionally, each DR Table also maintains the IP address for the device each AP is connected. The Distributed Routing Tree is dynamically reconfigured to minimize transmission hops or to maximize signal strength between the mobile stations and the LAN.
Thus, the solution provides a wireless network system which can dynamically configure itself to adapt to changes in the AP network. This enables the wireless network system to be resilient to hardware failures, changes in atmospheric conditions, and interference of transmission paths. This further enables the wireless network system to transmit messages efficiently between mobile stations, without flooding the communications network. However, this solution does not handle the situation when the Backbone APs goes out of the network due various criteria.
As can be gathered from above, the above-mentioned solutions requires presence of plurality of active access points and are not effective when only one active access point is present in the network. Further, the solutions necessitate either each of the mobile stations or client devices and/or the access points have information of about other access points for connecting/reconnecting with other access points since the details connected client devices are not shared within the network. Thus, there exists a need for a solution to overcome above-mentioned deficiencies.